The Life We Once Knew
by itsYOUiSEVER
Summary: It only takes a few seconds for everything to change. For John Kennex, that statement was all too real. It had been almost 2 years since he had last seen Lisseth or Marnie and all he could feel was regret. He hadn't been able to keep them safe. He had failed them. All he could feel was contempt for himself. Full Summary Inside John/OC
1. Prologue

**The Life We Once Knew {Almost Human Fan Fiction}**

Summary

**_"Another year goes by  
Spinning as I drive  
I felt like I would leave this life I knew forever  
I didn't see it change  
But I know it's not the same  
I'd bring it back, if I could_**  
**_But I know, I'm not that clever_**

**_Life's so short  
And it goes by fast  
And we can't get it back_**

**_The world we knew  
It was so simple then  
Me and you  
Though it would never end_**  
**_Oh, what I wouldn't do  
To get back to  
The world we knew_**

**_Something bring me back  
Yeah I remember that  
And nothing wrong  
The days were long and the sun was warmer_**

**_Life's so short  
And it goes by fast  
We'll never get it back_**

**_The world we knew  
It was so simple then  
Me and you  
Though it would never end  
Oh, what I wouldn't do  
To get back to  
The world we knew_**

**_I remember nights  
Baby, you and I  
Taking what were given  
And I remember days  
Standing in the rain  
That's what I can't leave there  
Not a worry, not a care  
Everything was different  
But we're still here_**

**_In the world we knew  
It was so simple then  
Me and you  
It was so simple then  
The world we knew  
Hey, oh yeah  
The world we knew_**

**_Ohh, the world we knew"_**

**_~ "The World We Knew" by Daughtry_**

_It only takes a few seconds for everything to change. For John Kennex, that statement was all too real. It had been almost 2 years since he had last seen Lisseth or Marnie and all he could feel was regret. He hadn't been able to keep them safe. He had failed them. All he could feel was contempt for himself. When the psychopath that Lisseth had put away for life escaped from prison, Lisseth was forced to take drastic measures that John never saw coming. John never thought that Lisseth would ever run from him, hide and keep him from seeing his own child. He didn't understand why she felt as if he couldn't keep them safe. He doubted himself. Three months into his search for them, he and his partner run into a trap killing John's partner and leaving John in a coma with a missing leg. Seventeen months later John awoke from his sleep and despite everyone else's requests continued his search for Lisseth and Marnie. What happens when the psychopath resurfaces and tries to take away the only thing that ever mattered to John? Can John keep his family safe or will everything just slip past him?_

**Preview**

John hated waking up in the morning. He had always had a routine. Wake up, coax Lisseth awake by placing open mouthed kisses to her neck, laugh at her when she grumbled at him to stop and buried her face into his lightly haired chest, allow her to sleep in for a few minutes while he got Marnie from her room, make breakfast with Marnie, feed their midnight black Siberian Husky, Watson, spend about an hour playing with his little angel, take a shower, get dressed for work, give both his girls a kiss, head to work, come home, make dinner, spend more time with his angel, cuddle with Lisseth in their bed, sleep and repeat. Now he had nothing. No routine. Expect for feeding Watson every day.

That had all been taken away from him by Eric Sutton, the psychopath who had kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered 15 young women before Lisseth had caught him in his attempt to make that number 16. John remembered how his beady little brown eyes seemed to stare right into you seeing every little piece of you and analyzing everything. He remembered the nightmares Lisseth used to have when they had just started dating, how he would have to sooth her for hours just to get her calm enough to breathe normally. She never liked to admit it but John knew that Sutton had really gotten to her. He knew that all he could do was make sure she knew he would protect her no matter what.

Even that hadn't been enough to keep her from running away with Marnie when Eric had somehow escaped from prison. She hadn't trusted him to keep her and Marnie safe. She had just left. There had been no goodbye, no explanation, no words at all. She just left him thinking that he had failed her and his angel.

John hated mornings especially this particular morning.

_December 12th, 2048_

The two year anniversary of Lisseth and Marnie's disappearance.

John wasn't going to get up. He was just going to lay in his bed and ignore the world until a cold wet surface nudged his arm. John turned his head just slightly to the left and saw Watson wagging his tail with his tongue out staring at him. John reached out his hand and began to pet Watson's head sighing to himself as he stared at the ceiling imagining Lisseth's beautiful face looking down at him. Her fiery orange hair cascading over her shoulder hiding her beautiful blue eyes from him like she would always do to tease him. He imagined her toothy smile and a grin formed across his lips as he sighed with content.

Then there was Marnie. His tiny little fiery haired angel with the cutest smile any two year old had even had. She had loved him. She most enjoyed it when he would chase her around the house saying he was gonna get her belly button. He remembered her tiny giggle and how infectious it was. She had looked so much like her mother but had gained his eyes and nose. Lisseth liked reminding him that she had his eyes and his nose although John never really did see it himself.

John was jerked from his daydream when his cell phone began to ring loudly next to his ear. He growled slightly before reaching for the cell.

"Kennex." John answered coldly as he sat up on his bed swinging his leg over the side of the bed.

"John, he's back." Captain Maldonado solemnly told John as he growled angrily and threw his phone across the room at full force into the far wall making Watson flinch and whimper in fear.

John placed his head into his hands and ground his teeth together in anger. He could feel every part of himself boiling over ready to rip Sutton apart limb from limb. He wanted to take a kitchen knife and stab it repeatedly into his face until he couldn't be recognized anymore.

John then stood from his bed and used the end table as support as he hobbled over to his synthetic leg which had been charging all night and quickly slipped it into place before running off to his room to change so he could get closer to catching the man who had taken everything from him. He threw open his closet and pulled out a black three quarter length cotton shirt. As he went to close the closet door something caught his eye. A small object on the floor next to his combat boots. One of Marnie's nookies. Tears welled up in his eyes as he imagined her tiny innocent face looking up at him as she continually sucked on the nookie.

He bent down and scooped up the nookie in his hand clutching it tightly as he turned to look at the photo of Lisseth and Marnie that rested next to his bed.

"I will get him, Lissy. I won't give up. I will get you guys back." John spoke the promise to the air as he pulled on some jeans where he placed the nookie into the front pocket. He turned to see Watson approaching him warily and John just sighed. He bent down in front of him and gently caressed his head. "I'm gonna bring them back, Wats. I will get them back."

* * *

John sat in the conference room listening to Maldonado debrief the rest of the officers on Sutton and stared down at the files that was set before him. There were three files there. Sutton's file, the latest victim's file and Lisseth's file. At that moment, Lisseth's file was opened in front of him and he was gazing down at her smiling face. He was in his own world until he heard a familiar name being spoken by Maldonado.

"The victim's name is Sebastian Monroe..." She had begun to say causing John to look up at the screen behind her. There on the screen was a picture of Lisseth's older brother, Sebastian. He had the same fiery orange as Lisseth but was really tall and lanky. Then Sebastian's picture disappeared and a crime scene photo appeared.

It was the words written on the wall that had caught John's eyes.

_**Come find her, Kennex.**_

Those words were painted onto the wall behind Sebastian's dead body written in blood dripping down the length of the wall smearing it just slightly.

Then all eyes were on John. He hated the attention he was getting because of this. He just wanted to catch the bastard.

"Captain, if I may say something, Sutton is going to make this as personal as he can for me and there is no way in hell you will be able to get me to sit this one out." John spoke as he stood up from his chair and walked out of the conference room and glanced over at the interrogation room to see Valerie Stahl sitting in there with a little fiery orange haired girl trying to get her to talk but the little girl kept ignoring her.

"John," Maldonado's soft voice called from behind him as she and Dorian approached him. "I know you won't be able to sit this one out and I didn't expect you to but you have to go by the book on this. You can't let this be some revenge vendetta." John looked at Maldonado and nodded his head before looking back at Valerie and the little girl.

"Who's the little girl?" He asked as Valerie looked out at him and gave him a sad smile.

"She was hidden in the floorboards at Sebastian's house. She keeps telling everyone that she won't talk to anyone but her daddy whoever he is." Maldonado replied as John gazed at the little girl and frowned slightly.

"Let me try to talk to her," John began to say as Dorian interrupted him. "John, it may not be the best idea for you to talk to her. You aren't really good with kids."

John just ignored Dorian and looked down at Maldonado asking for permission. She just sighed and nodded her head before gesturing him towards the room.

John felt a pit form in his stomach as he moved towards the interrogation room looking at that the little girl solemnly. Marnie would be about her age. There was a heavy weighing feeling on his chest and it was making his stomach churn. As he approached the room he could hear Valerie trying to get the girl to talk to her.

"Its okay sweetheart. You are safe now. You don't have to be afraid." Valerie said as the little girl looked up at her and stared her in the eyes.

"I'm not scared. Mommy said that Daddy will protect me no matter what. She said not to go with anyone but Daddy." The little girl replied as John watched her keep eye contact with Valerie.

"Who's your Daddy, sweetheart?" Valerie asked as John walked in gaining the little girl's attention.

The next thing that happened John hadn't expected. He had hoped for it but had never thought it would happen. John's heart just about burst when the girl yelled one little tiny word.

_Daddy_.

* * *

Hey PEOPLES! Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read my story! I hope you all liked it! If you could leave a review telling me what you think so far I'd really appreciate it! Next chapter should be up within the next few days!

Laters,

itsYOUiSEVER


	2. Chapter 1 Empty Pain

**_Author's Note:_**

**_Hey Mah buds! Thank you for reading:) This chapter will have a flashback for John about life before Lisseth and Marnie had to run along with Marnie/John bonding and maybe cry along the way hahaha This isn't a really action packed chapter but more an emotional one which there will be action packed one later on but John needs his daddy time:) but again thanks for taking the time to read;) Reviews help speed the process of writing they keep me motivated:)_**

**_Oh and if want a visual of what Lisseth looks like imagine her as Evangeline Lilly with curly red hair._**

**_I don't own anything you recognize except my OCs! Although I wished I owned John Kennex because he is amazing but I don't and Dorian we all need a Dorian!_**

The Life We Once Knew {Almost Human Fan Fiction}

_**Chapter One ~ "Empty Pain"**_

_John woke up abruptly to a tiny giggle ringing in his ear. He opened his eyes to find little brown eyes staring up at him from the hardwood floor below the king size bed he was laying on. He smiled when his little angel giggled again and wiped around speeding out the room with her curly fiery red hair waving back at him._

_"Oh, I'm gonna get you, yah little stinker!" John yelled as he threw the covers from his body and leapt onto the ground running after Marnie who was giggling like a hyena as she slid down the stairs on her butt._

_He couldn't help but chuckle at the sounds her diaper covered butt made as she bounced down the stairs. Marnie let out a loud screech as she reached the bottom of the stairs and ran towards the living room. John quickly speed after her dressed in only his blue plaid boxers and a pair of long black socks which made him slip on the newly cleaned hardwood floor landing loudly on his butt causing Marnie to look back at him with a concerned look crossing her tiny face. A idea then clicked in John's mind and he put his heads into his hands shaking his shoulders up and down in the process._

_Through the spaces between his fingers he watched as Marnie quickly ran towards him with her arms wide open ready to give him a monster hug. Once she got close enough he dropped his hands from his face and scooped her up tickling her tiny tummy in the process making her cackle like an evil witch. Her tiny chubby little toddler hands pressed up into his face as she giggled loudly and grabbed a hold of his nose making his face wrinkle up causing her to giggle even more._

_"The belly button monster is going to eat your belly button!" John echoed as a slim figure entered the room catching his attention leaving Marnie the opportunity to tackle her daddy to the ground which John allowed adding a little bit of pizzazz._

_"Oh no, Mommy help me. The little orange monster is going to eat me." He yelled dramatically as Lisseth looked down at John who was being held down by a petite little two year old who sat on his wispy haired chest grinning up at her mommy. Lisseth knelt down beside them and gently placed a sweet kiss to John's lips before leaning in to whisper into Marnie's ear._

_"Get him, Marnie Mae." She whispered as she got up to walk into the kitchen. John yelled after her but was stopped by Marnie bouncing up and down on his chest. A loud oomph escaped his lips as Marnie continued to jump on him._

_"I'm gonna get you back for this, Mommy!" John yelled as he brought his hands to tickle Marnie which caused her to spasm against him giggling up a storm. He then leaned in towards Marnie and smiled at her."Wanna help Daddy get Mommy?" He whispered to her as she nodded her head and jumped once more before moving off him allowing him to get up._

_John crouched down low to the ground and had to hold in a chuckle when Marnie mimicked his actions. He walked up to the wall separating the kitchen from the living room and looked down at Marnie placing his finger against his lips making her giggle quietly. John then peered around the corner and his heart caught in his throat as he realized what Lisseth was wearing. There she stood in one of his very few button-up shirts which swept down to her mid thighs and he could see a pair of his boxers peeking out from under the shirt she was wearing. He had seen her wearing his clothes many times before but something about that particular moment made him stop and think about how lucky he was to have both Lisseth and Marnie in his life. He kept gazing at Lisseth until Marnie let out a high-pitched screech and ran as quickly as her stubby toddler legs would allow her to go at Lisseth._

_Marnie leapt at Lisseth's leg clinging to her calf like a little monkey nuzzling her face into her skin as Lisseth laughed at Marnie's adorable actions. John then stood up and walked into the kitchen towards his two angels. He stood right in front of Lisseth and looked down at her in awe of her everything. He placed his large hands on both sides of her face and gazed deeply into her eyes._

_"How did I ever get so lucky?" John whispered to her as she smiled up at him and pressed her lips to his softly before caressing his strong jawline._

_"You pulled me over for speeding when I was doing nothing of the sorts." She replied as they shared another passion filled kiss until Marnie screeched at them wiggling down at John's feet with her arms held up high signifying that she wanted to be lifted up. Both John and Lisseth chuckled at her actions and John quickly bent down and scooped her up into his arms tossing her lightly into the air before bringing her in close pressing a kiss to her warm little forehead._

_"I'm never going to let you go," John whispered before looking down at Lisseth. "Either of you."_

* * *

John's heart nearly exploded when that little girl screeched _Daddy_ loudly. He had never expected it to happen. Never in a million years. She quickly shot up from the chair she was seated in knocking it over and sped towards John who had fallen to his knees due to shock. She squealed when she leapt into him throwing her little arms around his neck and buried her face into him wet tears wetting down the side of his neck.

"Marnie Mae?" John whispered in disbelief as he brought his arms around her to embrace her tightly and felt tears stinging his brown eyes.

"Daddy." Marnie whispered in reply as John began to full out cry grasping her tightly and gently rocking back and forth.

He could hear Dorian whispering to Maldonado but he didn't care to listen to what he was asking. Marnie was his concern. He wasn't going to ever let her go. He wasn't going to even let her date till she was married. He buried his hand deep in her curly hair that reminded him too much of her mom's hair and held her as close to himself as he could. He wasn't going to ever let her go.

"Daddy," Marnie whimpered as he allowed her to pull away from him so he could look at her face. Right then he saw Lisseth in her. The way her curly hair shaped her face. The way sad but happy look on her face was something Lisseth did whenever he came home with an injury. The way she looked at him with such joy in her face. "Daddy, the bad man has Mommy." Marnie whispered as John brought her back into his arms holding her tightly to himself.

"It's okay, Flower. Daddy is going to get her back. Daddy won't let Mommy get hurt. I promise." He reassured her as she grasped onto the back of his shirt and pressed her face into his chest. "I'm going to keep you safe."

* * *

John gazed down at his little angel as she slept on his bed curled up into a ball with Watson laying down next to her. He didn't even care that Dorian was looking at him wierdly all he cared was that Marnie was safe.

"You want to talk about it, John?" Dorian asked him as John brushed the red curls from Marnie's face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before turning back to Dorian.

John walked out of his bedroom and leaned against the wall gazing over at Marnie. "I never thought I would ever get her back, Dorian. I thought they were gone," John whispered in awe as Dorian gazed at John with sympathy. "Now Sutton has Liss and I promised Marnie that I would get her mother back safe. What if I can't? What if I can't keep them safe?"

"John, if anyone can keep them safe, its you. Marnie trusts you and believes in you. You should too." Dorian replied as John slipped down the wall and brought his knees in close to him.

John was about to say something to him when a small voice caught his attention. "Daddy, where are you?" Marnie called out as John looked into his bedroom and saw her sitting up with tears in her eyes. John looked over at Dorian and he just nodded. Dorian understood that John needed to have some alone time with Marnie so he walked downstairs to give them some privacy.

John slowly stood up and walked in by Marnie who practically flung herself at him once he got within arms reach. She whimpered against him and sobbed loudly into his shirt. "What's wrong, Marnie Mae?" He asked quietly as she gripped onto him as tight as she possibly could.

"He hurt Mommy, Daddy. He hurt her." Marnie sobbed as John pushed himself up onto the bed and cuddled with her trying to bring her some comfort to her.

Something about cuddling with Marnie with her clinging to him like she was made him think of when Lisseth would have nightmares.

"Shh, Flower. Everything is going to be okay. Daddy will keep you safe," He whispered to her as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Daddy loves you."

"I love you too, Daddy. Mommy does too. She told me." Marnie whispered back as she kissed his cheek and settled herself on his chest.

"Daddy loves Mommy too." John said as he stroked Marnie's back lightly and reveled in the feeling he was having at that very moment.

_Joy_

He had his daughter back and he would do everything in his power to bring her mommy back safe to her. He was going to make sure that Sutton couldn't hurt anymore family. He was going to make sure he never let either Lisseth or Marnie out of his sight ever again. He would lock them both up if he had to.

He went stock still when Marnie grabbed a hold of his hand and began picking at his fingers. "Why doesn't you have a ring, Daddy?" She asked quietly as Watson jumped up onto the bed and rested his head against Marnie's back.

"A ring?" John asked as he looked down at her while she gazed up at him through her red curls.

"Yeah, Daddy. A ring like Mommy wears." Marnie replied as he smiled knowing exactly what ring she was talking about. He had gotten Lisseth a silver ring with a ruby in the middle of it and an inscription on the inside that said, _"I will love you forever and always ~ John"_

"Daddy gave his ring to Mommy to wear so Daddy didn't lose it at work." John answered her as she smiled and nuzzled her face back into his chest.

"I miss Mommy, Daddy." She sniffled as John wrapped his arms tightly around her and stroked her hair.

"I know, I miss her too but she's gonna be back real soon, okay?" He told her as she nodded her head and slowly fell asleep against his chest.

John then looked over at the picture on his end table and gazed at Lisseth's face. "Im gonna save you, Lissy. I promise." He whispered as he situated himself on the bed and fell asleep with his arms around Marnie ready to never let her go.

* * *

"Daddy, Daddy, I gotta go potty." Marnie whispered into John's ear as he slowly woke up wondering if the day before had been a dream.

"What was that, Flower?" He asked as he rubbed the drowsiness from his eyes and looked down at the snarly mess that was Marnie's hair.

"I gotta go potty." She repeated as he picked her up off his body and got up from the bed. He held his hand out for her and helped her down from the bed before walking her to the bathroom.

Once she walked in there he stood outside the door like a watch dog ready to hurt anyone if they tried to take her from him. He listened as she began to sing to herself.

_" It's safe to say I'm lost,  
Without you in my arms,  
So I call your name and I pray you might,  
Come and watch over me like the pale moonlight,  
Untill the sun comes back around._

_Take me down, take me down by the water, water,  
Pull me in untill I see the light,  
Let me drown, let me drown, in you honey, honey,  
In your love I wanna be baptized.  
Take me down, take me down by the water, water,  
I wanna be baptized."_

John recognized the song she was singing. Lisseth loved it when John sang that to her at night. He smiled at the memories of her and him curled up in their bed just singing together.

He was so wrapped up in his memories that he didn't hear Marnie flush and come out till she called his name. "Daddy," She called as he looked down at her. "I gots to get new clothes on." And then it dawned on John. He had no clothes for her. _Time for some Kennex improvising._

* * *

An hour later John had her dressed in one of his work out t-shirts with one of Lisseth's scarves wrapped around her waist as a belt to make it look like she was wearing some kind dress. Seeing Marnie look at herself in the mirror the first time was comical. She was laughing like a hyena at how long her daddy's shirt was on her. John's long socks that covered her feet acted like leg warmers and Marnie found it all to be hilarious.

When John began changing, Marnie first saw his synthetic leg. She stared at it for a good ten minutes before even saying anything. "Daddy, why do you gots a hurted leg?" She asked innocently as he pulled on a new pair of pants on and situated her on the bed before kneeling in front of her.

"The bad man who has Mommy hurt Daddy but I'm fine. It doesn't hurt." He told her as she brought her little hands up to his face and traced the outline of his face with her fingers.

"Is it like those men at the poice station?" Marnie asked him as he nodded and scooped her up in his arms.

"You wanna go get food with that man Daddy was with yesterday?" John asked her as she nodded her head and grinned at her daddy throwing her arms around his neck tightly hugging him.

"I love you, Daddy." She whispered as John held her tightly to himself and walked out to his car setting her in the back seat buckling her in before driving to go pick up Dorian.

* * *

John found it amusing to see Marnie interacting with Dorian. She found it fascinating that he wasn't human. As the three of them walked into the station they were greeted by Detective Richard Paul who had never liked Lisseth most likely because she had beat him up the first day she was there and Captain Maldonado had done nothing to stop her.

"Where did you pick her up at? A dumpster." Richard asked as John scowled at him and told Dorian to take Marnie up by Valerie.

"You got something to say, Richard?" John said through gritted teeth as Marnie looked back at John with confusion on her face.

"Yeah, I do. Lisseth was a fucking slut. She probably didn't even run because of Sutton. She probably ran to go whore off somewhere in fucking no man's land." Richard remarked at John and in that moment all bets were off for Richard coming out of there without some broken bones. John slammed his fist square into Richard's nose and relished in the sickening crack that eminated from him as Richard quickly went to grasp the broken cartilage.

**"SHUT THE FUCK UP! YOU DIDN'T FUCKING KNOW HER! SHE WAS THE BEST FUCKING MOTHER THERE WAS AND SHE WAS NO WHERE NEAR A FUCKING SLUT!" **John yelled as he began to throw his fist at Richard over and over again until someone pulled him back and away from him.

John turned his head to see Dorian standing behind him holding him back which meant Marnie wasn't far. When John turned his head to the left he saw Marnie standing by the glass doors gazing up at him. He was expecting to see fear in her eyes but all he saw was anger. She stomped her little legs over to Richard and kicked his shin as hard as she could.

"Don't say mean words about my mommy or my daddy!" She threatened Richard as she walked over to John and grabbed a hold of his hand glaring at Richard as she walked to him.

As they walked away from Richard, Dorian leaned in towards John and said,"There is no way in hell that kid isn't yours John." John just smiled and squeezed his daughter's hand.

_"Yeah she is all mine. That's for sure."_

_Author's Note _

_Thank you for reading the next chapter will be action packed for all y'all this one was just for Marnie Mae cuteness;) Thanks again_

_Until the next update;)_

_itsYOUiSEVER_


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